1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, in general, to medical devices and, in particular, to analyte test strips, test meters and related methods.
2. Description of Related Art
The determination (e.g., detection and/or concentration measurement) of an analyte in a fluid sample is of particular interest in the medical field. For example, it can be desirable to determine glucose, cholesterol, acetaminophen and/or HbAlc concentrations in a sample of a bodily fluid such as urine, blood or interstitial fluid. Such determinations can be achieved using analyte test strips, based on, for example, photometric or electrochemical techniques, along with an associated test meter.
Typical electrochemical-based analyte test strips employ a plurality of electrodes (e.g., a working electrode and a reference electrode) and an enzymatic reagent to facilitate an electrochemical reaction with an analyte of interest and, thereby, determine the concentration of the analyte. For example, an electrochemical-based analyte test strip for the determination of glucose concentration in a blood sample can employ an enzymatic reagent that includes the enzyme glucose oxidase and the mediator ferricyanide. Such conventional analyte test strips are described in, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,708,247; 5,951,836; 6,241,862; and 6,284,125; each of which is hereby incorporated in full.